Friends, congrats to RFK, Jr., who has stood up to the Democratic Party elite, the corporate elite, lobbyists, and even his own family in the course of his migration from la-la to MAGA. I have high hopes for what he'll be able to achieve at HHS!
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/3-things-watch-rfk-jr-takes-helm-health/story?id=118787702
DOGE is finding so many instances of federal money flowing to the legacy media and to NGOs that espouse the agenda of the Deep State. My question is: how will these corrupt organizations get by without constant subsidies? Maybe they won't!
https://x.com/AutismCapital/status/1890062843632099538
Finally, a big thumbs-up to Vice-President Vance, who is calling out our European "friends" for their persecution of dissent. Granted, Europe has never upheld the right to free speech with the rigor that we have in America, but liberal values (that's classical liberalism, to be precise) ought never to extinguished in the continent that gave birth to them. Here's hoping that the Euro-weenies will heed Vance's admonition.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: I saw Vance's speech. He's an excellent speaker. That will be a handy quality in a few years. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. He even criticized the UK for the DEI inspired laws which have unjustly convicted some unfortunate Brits. I assume JD was on the same page DJT with this astonishing presentation. The applause was sparse and labored.
ReplyDeleteI think many Europeans have always regarded the newcomer America as a land of naifs when it comes to international relations. And I think a canny street fighter hombre like DJT knows it. I have been astonished by his digs at Canada; perhaps they are only at departing ultra liberal PM Trudeau, who after all castigated DJT's reelection. But Vance's speech suggests a perhaps broader pattern of reminders to the world that , like it or not, we are alpha males. History shows us to have been the most benevolent possessors of such power and I think DJT makes no apology for our present assertion of that truth.
Canny ol' DJT may well have good reasons for tasking our friends and allies as he has. He's already affirmed his Master of the Art of the Deal credentials. A commentator today reminded us that DJT made his mark in the unforgiving setting of NYC real estate ( I would guess that at times involved opposing organized crime. Well we all ought to know, he is NOT lacking in grit).
I don't know that we have ever had an instinctual , visceral (yet lawful, unlike amoral Slick Willy)player like this guy in the White House. Its a pleasure to see him bustle and to see the discomfiture he often justly provokes.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Antiamerican NGOs : Well, they will of course go to law to save their sinecures. But alone they may not have the existing funds to maintain such a defense. Perhaps they will form a union of "terribly wronged "entities (like say ,storefront no show "community organizers "with their pics of "Che" and "Fidel" taped to the peeling walls of their "drug stores"). Oh they are so accustomed to using reflexive accusations of myriad condemned"isms" to compel their funding from even the apologetic rump of the conservative movement. But they will still get shot down by a lawful Scotus which will chide them" say what you want but don't expect the taxpayer to pay for it". This is a conviction growing to an enforced maxim in America virtually everyday now! Wise up far lefties; you'll always have safe havens in Ithaca, NY, NYC, Berkeley, San Francisco; you know, the same holes you crept out of in the '60s. Be content with that; America is on to you!
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: What a counterintuitive time we find ourselves in. A Kennedy in a conservative, common sense Cabinet?!
ReplyDeleteI am still am not convinced that our country is in the midst of a health crisis. How would one explain the constantly rising rates of survival? I remember when 50 was the cusp of old age. But:
I trust DJT to have made a characteristically canny choice in bringing RFK into his circle and having declared his support for RFK's convictions. We'll see how it goes. As long as I don't get ordered around about my personal habits I'm ok. No nanny state please.
During RFK Jr's swearing-in, I was moved by this former Presidential Candidate's humility (especially given his family heritage) towards Trump. Please know I am not a Trump nor an RFK Jr worshiper.
ReplyDeleteYet, RFK Jr's words seemed so genuinely heartfelt, and given his individual standing, did not seem necessary. Many of you probably have seen the clips of his acceptance speech, so I type them here at risk of overplay:
"For 20 years, I've gotten up every morning on my knees and prayed that God would put me in a position where I can end the childhood chronic disease epidemic in this country.
On August 23rd of last year (2024), God sent me President Trump. And he gave me [applause] he's now given me... he's kept every promise that he's made to me, he's kept his word, in every account and gone way beyond it.
I'm so grateful to you, Mr. President. A lot of people told me that I couldn't trust President Trump. That I'd better get it in writing, and we did a handshake, and everything he told me he was going to do he has done. And, I'm so grateful to him, and I've told you before, I genuinely believe that you are a pivotal historical figure, and you are going to transform this country."
I post this because RFK Jr'strong testimony speaks volumes to a couple of points:
1. RFK Jr's deep gratitude to Trump
2. His assignment of Trump as a true leader, where his own family and countless others could take that as an affront to those who love JFK. (on purpose?)
3. His trust in President Trump when many would have followed him (RFK Jr) if a Whitehouse run had continued.
4. His deep, personal conviction to make a difference in the health of this country.
How can anyone not be moved by his apparent sincerity on all those fronts? It is the most conviction I've seen from any appointee so far. RFK Jr has credibility above many other appointees yet has shown humility in his praise for the President. It is nothing short of something to admire.
RAY TO DR. WADDY
ReplyDeleteI probably should care about what the people in the lands of my ancestors do or don't do, but frankly I really don't give a flying f* at a rolling doughnut about the fortunes or misfortunes of the Euro-Weenies. Those assholes caused two (2) world wars, and then the U.S. ends up shedding blood and paying for them. Time to get out of NATO, take our marbles (forces) and head out. I'm sure the Euro-Weenies will be able to figure out something for their future. I mean look, they have the EU and the Euro, I know they can do it.
Richie from Jack: I didn't see RFK's swearing in ; Thanx for the account of it. Your perception of it makes a great deal of sense.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Yesterday we were treated to the counterintuitive sight of NYC Mayor Adams and tough
ReplyDeleteTom Homan together on FOX's "curvy couch". Extraordinary things are becoming almost ordinary since our American Renaissance has started. They promised cooperation in ridding NYC of the curse of illegal alien criminals. I'm sure hombre Homan will help the Mayor follow through should he have misgivings. Meanwhile, his City Council votes today to destroy a data base of gang members before the lawful get ahold of it. Mayor Adams is up against it and he needs to be openly supported by the millions in NYC who are sick of far leftist fomented anarchy. Curtis Sliwa and the Guardian Angels ?
Dr. Waddy from Jack: I can't help but recall these days how Delphic Searess Barbara Streisand bade America : " how do you Republicans FEEL now that you've lost everything ?!" when Dems won the election in '92. Yeah, right back at ya Babs!
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: I think the vindictive and totalitarian far left dam which has been holding back a vast reservoir of common sense counterintuition and resentment in this country for so insufferably long has been busted by DJT and the Maga America. A veritable tsunami of right minded redemption is doing a mighty job of returning our country to its erstwhile integrity. This is a virtually incredible time!
ReplyDeleteseeress not searess - Jack
ReplyDeleteRay from Jack: You are completely right about Europe having birthed both WWs and that we were the only thing (besides Churchill and Britain's noble stand in 1940) which saved the world. Doc Waddy though, I think, has noted that to do so in the second war we allied with yet another threat to the world's well being, manifested in the Cold War. Could we have defeated a Germany which had conquered Russia? It would have been an exceedingly hard road and if Britain had fallen, well nigh impossible.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to speculate: if Europe had somehow remained at peace in the '30s and 40s , would Japan have attempted to expand? Did they expect Hitler to declare war on the US? And without that expectation and the absence of an alliance with the Boche , would they ever have tried to take over East Asia, knowing that Britain, France and the US would oppose them?
Your suggestion that we ought to withdraw from Europe has alot of merit to it. But for now, at least JD's "suggestion" to them that the US will not be toyed with, may suffice to restore a more realistic balance.
Also, I don't think the Ukraine War has ever indicated Russian intent to expand (though they had swept through Ukraine it might have awakened vindictive dreams in them). They simply don't want Ukraine in Nato and they are going to get their wish. And especially now, with Sweden and Finland in Nato; Russia surely cannot contemplate such reckless adventure. We can hope with this administration that a settlement of the war to the satisfaction of Russia's one VITAL requirement may well lead to beneficial engagement of Russia with Europe and with us. And if that happens, what need is there for us to be in Nato at all?
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Your comments gave to JD's momentous speech a fascinating historical perspective.
ReplyDeleteClassical liberalism, the product of the Enlightenment's constructive phase before Rousseau insouciantly perverted it and Kant opened the door to the Enlightenment's "fundamental transformation" to marxism: you were very perceptive to see its influence manifested in JD's perhaps historic speech!
JD did acknowledge that the same malign influences which are shaming a Europe with which we once felt such a close cultural kinship and for the defense of which so many Americans crossed the Atlantic never to return, have manifested a mortal threat to American civilization too. BUT, he noted, we are meeting that threat now after full realization of its intent to destroy all we cherish and value and replace it with proven marxist hell. And if Europe hopes for our continued close connection, failure to confront these ills in their countries may lead to our withdrawal of our power to our shores. Its a message which, I think will give them pause at least.
Jack, I didn't watch Vance's speech, but by all accounts the assembled dignitaries were aghast. I suppose timing is everything, but on substance I can't fault Vance in the least. The self-interested establishment in Europe is even more corrupt and intolerant than our establishment is here. Someone needs to insult them to their face(s), and if it has to be us, well, so be it. Probably no European dissident would ever get a hearing.
ReplyDeleteJack, we may be living longer than in the past, but there are an awful lot of Americans who live with chronic disease and major physical limitations. If we can make our countrymen not just technically alive but also "healthy", I say: why not?
I totally agree with your take, Richie. RFK is a class act, and his confidence in Trump gives ME more confidence in Trump. Honestly, Trump could have simply banked RFK's support and written him off after the election was over. That would have been the easy and possibly even the popular thing to do. Instead, Trump has taken a risk by empowering a man who the media loathes almost as much as Trump himself (and now Musk). Clearly, Trump sees something in RFK that he likes and genuinely admires. I see it too!
Ray, I agree: it's time for Europe to fight its own battles. Let the might of Canada and Denmark keep Russia at bay. We've done our bit.
Quite right, Jack: there is no fundamental need for hostility between Russia and the West. It has been irrational almost from the start, and it has long outlived any limited usefulness it might once have had. Stop the relentless expansion of NATO, and Russia should be happy enough.
Jack, I wonder if Trump and Vance (and Musk) believe that, if conservative populism were no longer suppressed in Europe, it might become as dominant there as it has here. That might be optimistic, but I'd certainly like to give it a go!
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Good question; would redemption of the ills noted by JD redeem also the U.S. relationship with Europe? There is of course a separate factor in military defense and it may well be, nonetheless, time to let Europeans conduct their own defense, on their dime.
ReplyDeleteBut there signs in Europe of populism common sense roughly comparable to Maga in Europe aren't there? Some of the preposterous and personally terribly destructive DEI and political correctness prosecutions in Britain must have that still free people on edge. Remember the remotely dwelling farmer there who dared to harm habitual intruders in his house? He went to the clink and taxpayer funds were offered to the much emotionally scarred thugs for legal deliverance from the profound anxiety they suffer now from having been prevented their evil. I would hope a perhaps quite possible PM Farage's first act would be to honor and compensate that good yeoman.
Mercurial Italy has a common sense Chief Executive now , yes? Germans of common sense are advancing in their polity, I think and De Le Penne (?) in France is putting the fear of disempowerment in reflexive leftists. Canada is giving mindless far liberal PM Trudeau the heave ho. He actually castigated the U.S. for rejecting Kamala and Hillary. Donald Duck would have been a better choice than those two vindictive harridans .
You might think the world would have learned its lesson from witnessing the incalculable evil of world communism. Even seemingly implacable Red China did. To think any good of anything remotely smacking of marxism is equal in inexplicable folly and shame to lauding the nazis. Maybe the world is "waking" to the fearful fact that it has hazarded a very close call with a renascent marxist curse! America may very well now have gone beyond that point and launched redemption for its civilization. And our cultural example still has very powerful influence.
There is nothing cool about Robert Kennedy, Jr. He is a danger to this country. The impact of years of heroin abuse, mercury poisoning and brain parasites have left him spewing nonsensical conspiracy theories and outlandish lies. Kennedy's attacks against vaccines have meant that measles, which was largely vanquished in 2000, breaking out again, as evidenced about what we see in TX. Kennedy has claimed research shows that Gardasil (which prevents HPV -- a major cause of cervical cancer) has led to 37 times more deaths among people who take Gardasil versus those who don't. There is no such research. In fact, the NIH has shown that those who take Gardasil have fewer deaths than those who don't take it.
ReplyDeleteKennedy is going to advise Trump to ban pharmaceutical advertising. Trump can't do that on this own. Congress would have to pass a law to ban it, similar to what they had to do for cigarette advertising.
Hopefully, Kennedy's reign will be a short one, because our country will get sicker every day he is in office.
Rod
Robert Kennedy, Jr., was confirmed this week as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). He is a dangerous choice for the job as he has advocated a number of bizarre conspiracy theories over the last three decades.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the most troubling conspiracy theory that Robert Kennedy, Jr., has advanced is that vaccines are linked to autism. This debunked theory did not start with Kennedy, but in the aftermath of a small study conducted by Dr. Anthony Wakefield in the United Kingdom. His 1998 study, published in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, concluded that vaccines were connected to autism. A later investigation called the findings of Wakefield’s study into question, and the study was retracted by The Lancet. But that did not deter the growing anti-vaccination crowd. Kennedy joined the anti-vaxx bandwagon by claiming that the vaccine preservative thimerosal was linked to the autism. Further, Kennedy charged that the government knew of the link by “knowingly allowed the pharmaceutical industry to poison an entire generation of American children.” Research by a number of centers, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) could find no link between vaccines or their preservatives and autism.
Kennedy has been a major promoter of “raw milk” – unpasteurized milk that can contain the same nutrition as pasteurized milk, but contains dangerous germs as well. Kennedy has charged that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) engages in “aggressive suppression” of products “that advance human health and can't be patented by” the pharmaceutical industry. Towards that end, Kennedy has announced that he will seek a ban on pharmaceutical advertising.
Kennedy is very much against the fluoridation of water. Fluoride has been added to the public water system since the 1960s to prevent tooth decay. He tweeted on November 2, 2024, that “fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.” He based his views on a 2024 report that linked high levels of fluoride to lower IQ scores in children. But the levels of fluoride used in fluoridation programs is much lower than the levels in the 2024 report. Further, research over the last 60 years has shown the used of fluoride in water to be safe.
Kennedy also has suggested that Wifi and 5G technologies cause health problems. He claimed on a June 2024 Joe Rogan podcast that Wifi “radiation” will “open you blood brain barrier” to toxins. His charge runs counter to considerable research that demonstrates that neither Wifi nor 5G is linked to any illnesses.
Kennedy has promoted other conspiracies, such as AIDS is not caused by HIV or that mass shootings are linked to anti-depressants such as Prozac. But perhaps the most controversial recent conspiracy has been that Kennedy proposed in a 2023 video where he declared that “Covid-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.” The health community pushed back hard on Kennedy, stating “The claims of Robert F Kennedy Jr are very damaging given they do not follow scientific evidence.” Research clearly demonstrates that differences in COVID infections among ethnic groups is related to inequalities.
What is remarkable is that even one of these bizarre medical beliefs should have disqualified Kennedy from even being Secretary of HHS. Instead, he was narrowly confirmed. It’s going to be a dangerous time in health care.
Rod
Rod, Jack, et al,
DeleteThanks for your post, Rod. The left's condemnation of RFK Jr.'s nomination is a bit "rich," given that those most vocal were also high on the receiving end of pharmaceutical donoations. That alone is telling.
Yep, RFK Jr has been outspoken about vaccines and their potential side effects for years. There are many reasons for health-conscious families and individuals to be concerned.
Using 1998 as a benchmark, the youth of our country were expected to receive vaccines that amounted to 17-18 doses by age 18. Today, that number has expanded to approximately 50-70 doses, some of which come in rapid fire.
RFKJr has also championed transparency regarding who is funding the research and the three-letter agency's desire to protect their stamp of safety on the jabs. There is plenty of conflict of interest going around on all fronts.
Yep, RFK Jr has repeatedly suggested fluoride should be removed from drinking water. One has to wonder if fluoride prevents tooth decay or if oral hygiene might play a more significant role. Numerous studies have found adverse health effects from the consumption of high levels of fluoride. The removal of fluoride doesn't come with much downside vs the potential upside that many studies (unsighted) have suggested over the past 20 years.
Yep, RFK Jr has made some strong statements about several things that are potentially detrimental to health. All of which don't hinge on a single conflict of interest. Quite the contrary, they slam the door shut on many potential back-door relationships that could pay him handsomely, just like the many other political characters who opposed his nomination.
Dangerous is the correct term, Rod. From the standpoint of:
- Those opposed to transparency and reevaluation of vaccine safety - he's dangerous.
- Those who don't wish to address chronic diseases and their symptomatic pharmaceutical treatment - he's dangerous.
- Those who would like to suppress pharmaceutical industry oversight and their ability to spend massively influencing our population by controlling media outlets - he's dangerous.
- To those hell-bent on including unhealthy substances in our food supply that are unhealthy (banned in most other developed countries) - he's dangerous.
- Those opposed to three-letter agency reform - he's dangerous.
It's about time somebody who doesn't give a rip about what can be earned by affiliations with the above and cares more about the health of our country filled the role he's in—standing applause!
BTW Rod... take a look at him. He's freaking 71 years old. I have no idea how old you are, but do you think you could take him? I'm quite younger than RFK Jr, and I wouldn't challenge him to do anything but be my bodyguard. Does that not count for something?
Damn right, he's dangerous.
Richie, as far as what RFK, Jr. looks like, I will agree that steroids can do some amazing things. I also am sure that you would not be envious of his brain scans.
DeleteYes, by 18, most U.S. citizens will receive 50 shots (many are multiple from 1-18) of about two dozen vaccines. The increase has been that the medical establishment has developed and tested more vaccines that control for more diseases. All of the vaccines have gone through all three phases of testing, and hence they are effective and safe.
None of the studies on the health effects of fluoride suggests any issues with the level of fluoride in the fluoridated water in the U.S. The level is too low to create problems. As for fluoride verses improved dental hygiene, only 63% of the United States has fluoridated water. Research shows (and has shown since the 1940s) that people living in areas with fluoridated water show less tooth decay than those who live in areas without fluoridated water. It is doubtful that people living in the two different areas have different oral hygiene practices.
Kennedy actually cared about the health of the citizens, he would focus the possible deleterious effects of the processing of our food rather than pursuing debunked conspiracy theories.
Rod
Sincere thanks for the reply, Rod. I appreciate how you "T" things up. It's like you know Big Bertha is already on the downswing.
DeleteFirst, for someone empathetic to everything pharmaceutical, it seems you would not only know the difference between TRT and steroid use but also because the former is prescribed, also approve.
And, as anyone inclined to work out (or NOT) regularly would know, what one consumes alone doesn't result in a healthy, physically fit body. Say what you want, but it's clear that Kennedy takes his health seriously and doesn't discount anything that might impede his or yours.
Why is it that those who trumpet and defend the pharmaceutical industry have problems with RFK Jr's suggestions to:
- Placebo-Controlled Trials - he advocates for vaccines to undergo long-term, placebo-controlled trials before licensure to better establish their safety and efficacy profiles.
- Increased transparency and research show data on safety, results, and side effects. That would include publishing all clinical trial data.
- Vaccine Liability Immunity - For those who suggest RFK Jr is wacko to call vaccines into question, what is the harm in creating some accountability for the patients they are injecting? What other approved health-care product or practitioner receives this same kind of blanket protection?
- More robust studies on the safety of vaccine ingredients like aluminum adjuvants, mercury, and other components, especially in combination vaccines
- Reducing Vaccine overload by spacing out the number and simultaneously administered doses.
Which of the above represents a threat to the safety and efficacy of prescribed medications meant to help us maintain health?
I'll leave the fluoride argument where it stands; the potential benefit is minuscule, and it's clear Jr. takes issue with the risks that many other notable scientists and doctors worldwide share. I won't waste space listing all the names here, as a quick online search shows he's not alone.
"If Kennedy actually cared about the health of the citizens, he would focus on the deleterious effects of the processing of our food." I couldn't agree more. Wait, RFK Jr. couldn't agree more! The suggestion that this effort isn't at the top of his list shows ignorance of his position. Here's a suggestion... rather than focusing on what some like to dub RFK Jr's "debunked conspiracy theories," it might be beneficial to actually listen to his testimony during the January 29th-30th confirmation hearings and his February 13th TV appearances, to name a few.
Thanks again for the extra long "T". I appreciate it.
The number of lies Kennedy spewed during the hearings was stunning! Definitely Trumpian.
DeleteThe benefits of fluoride are not minuscule. Tooth decay can lead to deadly health consequences. The risks of fluoride occur only at high levels, levels higher than in fluoridated water.
Almost all vaccines have had placebo-controlled trials. Kennedy lied when he said that none have had placebo-controlled trials. He said that Fauci's lawyers admitted that there were no placebo-controlled studies. Kennedy is the only person to be on record saying that. Everyone else on the record has said such a statement has never happened.
There have been dozens of studies on preservatives, etc., in addition to the vaccines. Anything that was an issue was removed decades ago. These are red herrings.
You obviously don't understand how vaccines work (nor does Kennedy). Most people will have some reaction to the vaccine. That's proof it is working. Some people, like myself, has an autoimmune condition that runs in my family in which I have somewhat stronger reactions to vaccines. But the protection that I receive is a worthwhile trade-off compared to how I could be affected. A few people will get a serious case of the disease, and that is usually unknown until the vaccine is administered. That is the reason for Vaccine Liability Immunity.
I would have no issue with there being increased access to clinical trial data, but the rest of what you are suggesting has been or is being done.
Rod
Alright, I don't usually do this. But on the off chance that Rod—and others like him—might gain some perspective, I'll try again. This time, I'll make it personal—about myself. And trust me, I loathe this level of transparency because the last thing I want is sympathy or empathy.
DeleteI write this because I cannot understand why some people still fight against the right of individual choice—especially when it comes to vaccines and, more broadly, the rampant prescription drug epidemic plaguing our country.
Rod, I get it. I, too, suffer from autoimmune disorders. I have since birth. The symptoms have taken many forms, but I won't bore you with the details.
At 30, my health took a severe turn. To make a long story short, I spent two months in the hospital after suffering a near-fatal reaction to prescription drugs intended to treat my primary condition. No exaggeration—the treatment almost killed me. In the end, I lost both my colon and large intestine because of it.
After years of research, trial and error, and understanding how my body responds, I now know that much of my malady could have been avoided with proper attention to diet and nutrient intake. Why am I convinced? Because through wellness practitioners—not Big Pharma—I discovered what my immune system rejects and what it needs to function at its best.
Rod, I know how vaccines work. The assumption that I—or a candidate for HHS Secretary—don't, while you do, is the height of arrogance. I also know that for people like me, these treatments can do more harm than good. And I know that many people on prescription medications are merely treating symptoms while the root causes go ignored.
Why is that? Because there is no money in fundamental, nutrition-based solutions. They also take time and discipline to see results.
You can argue in defense of the pharmaceutical industry all day long, but you won't touch that statement. Take heed.
Are drugs sometimes necessary? Absolutely.
Are medications or vaccines necessary for every sniffle? Absolutely not.
In fact, for many people, they can impede long-term health—or worse, be fatal.
I'd interject here that I've never taken a flu shot. And I couldn't tell you the last time I've had the flu. Maybe never, while being constantly exposed to it in an office setting.
If the only thing RFK Jr. does is expose these realities, then his impact on the health of this country will be significant. Say what you want about his shortcomings, but his intentions seem clear. It's blatantly apparent that you, my friend, are not a good judge of character. His stance is rooted in altruism.
Do you think the pharmaceutical industry shares that altruism? Then why is there no room for dissenting voices? And at the very least, why shouldn't people have control over their own healthcare choices without facing social or economic consequences?
If you argue against that, what does that make you?
Rod, I sincerely wish you the best of health—now and in the future. It is no fun being held hostage to a company's chemical patents for your well-being. True health freedom is not found in a prescription bottle. It's found in a healthy diet, movement, and habits. I haven't mastered it all, but I've learned a hell of a lot in the past two decades.
And I hope you do, too.
I've wasted enough screen space on this post. My view should be clear. Feel free to post another lame study. Until Dr. Waddy revisits this topic, I'm respectfully out.
Dr. Waddy et al from Jack: Our national health: we know we are living longer and that means alot more octogenarians around. It is natural and inevitable that aging bodies are more vulnerable to diseases which can occur at any age. Finally of course there is the inevitable shutdown of an exhausted body caused simply by venerable old age.
ReplyDeleteBeing that we have alot more seniors around, can these factors have effected the statistics on common disorders so as to appear to make these disorders appear more prevalent than they are and maybe to lead us to believe us that we are living unhealthy lives overall? Is it even possible that persons convinced that big medicine and big pharma need far reaching reform are promoting widespread public perception of such possibly misleading conclusions, even from intent to task industries ( or even all American industry's guiding principles) for which they harbor political and doctrinal animus?
RFK was an enthusiastic environmentalist and, I think, one once firmly in the mainstream of that ever more radical movement . Of course that movement is now the very exemplar of fantastic prediction resulting from presumptuous , maybe even deceitful "misperception" of data to serve purely political ends, namely the acquisition of totalitarian power.
Doc Waddy , you and Richie have made creditable and plausible assertion of your view that RFK's ascension to decision making power is a good thing. I would bet you are right,. Nonetheless: he bears watching and I'm confident DJT and JD are doing just that. In the environmental movement there are many people of good will who sincerely believe we face climatic disaster. I respectfully disagree with them and, similarly, still harbor some doubts about our being a very unhealthy country.
power.
Hi Jack, Thanks for commenting on this post. I appreciate you good sir.
DeleteAs I've stated previously, I share some of your concerns about RFK Jr.'s past environmental stances.
However, he's been appointed secretary of HHS, not the EPA. Let's take some solace in that.
However, I'm compelled to respond to your statement that presupposes our health problems on an aging population ("..we have alot more seniors around, can these factors have effected the statistics on common disorders so as to appear to make these disorders appear more prevalent than they are and maybe to lead us to believe us that we are living unhealthy lives overall?")
Here are just a few of the facts surrounding our nation's declining health:
Obesity - more than tripled since the 1970s
Type 2 Diabetes - from 2001 to 2017, increased by over 50%
Mental Health Conditions - The 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows nearly 1 in 3 adolescents had a diagnosable Mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder.
Autoimmune diseases - rising and unprecedented rates for those aged 20-39
There are numerous studies that support the health dilemma we find ourselves in, but since I don't necessarily subscribe to the results of those pharmaceutically funded studies, I won't post them here.
However, the facts show a stark reality. Jack... what does the "eye test" tell you?
Richie, the rise in teen health disorders has increased for a number of reasons. 1) Young people are encouraged to talk more about, and seek treatment for, their mental health concerns than in the past. 2) The use of social media has decreased social interaction with others and increased loneliness. 3) Substance abuse is common among teenagers. 4) Teens are facing more pressure, whether it is increased academic pressure or pressure from macro-stressors such as societal issues. It should be noted that increased stress is one of the top reasons auto-immune diseases have increased.
DeleteThe other two major reasons for the increase in autoimmune diseases are the hygiene hypothesis and increased chemical and pollution. The hygiene hypothesis proposes that the increase in sanitation has given our immune systems less to do and thus they attack ourselves. At the same time, we have increased chemicals in our processed foods, and polluted our environment through emissions from factories and cars.
Note that none of the reasons for the decline in mental health is related to the pharmaceutical industry.
Rod
Here again, Rod, we find some agreement. I have no doubt that the overuse of social media has decreased not only social interactions but also children's ability to deal with social disappointments and set unrealistic standards.
DeleteThe suggestion that substance abuse and societal issues pose greater pressure now than in the past is certainly arguable. However, my inclination is the premise is laughable, having grown up in the '60s and '70s!
Still... a study by the hallowed CDC showed that the dispensing rate for monthly antidepressants for young adults and adolescents increased by 66% in the six years 2016 to 2022!
Even for those who love the pharmaceutical industry, this should cause anaphylactic shock! Ready your epi-pen, for heaven's sake!
I also agree with the hygiene hypothesis, and increased exposure to toxic chemicals (particularly in our foods) has contributed to the meteoric rise in auto-immune disorders. That statement makes you sound more like an RFK Jr. supporter!
Look.
Some think drug companies have solutions to every malady under the sun and rely on them for their solutions.
Some are skeptical of the drug companies' claims and their actual contributions to overall health.
RFK Jr falls in the latter category. He's essentially expressing that pharma needs to do a better, more transparent, and less conflict-laden job of proving that claim.
With all the confidence those who oppose his nomination show in the pharmaceutical industry, one has to wonder why the vehement antagonism to that perspective.
DeleteRichie, the rate of dispensing anti-depressants rose slightly from 2016 to 2020, then exploded from 2020 to 2022 when COVID hit. Not only did the stress of COVID increase depression and anxiety, particularly among females, but access to in-person therapy was restricted. Sometimes there were wait-lists from 6 to 9 months. As a result, the drugs were not withheld from patients (see Chua, et al, 2024).
Rod
Thank you Rod, again, you help make my point.
DeleteDuring COVID-19, kids had to put up with their parents for a more significant portion of the day, they couldn't socialize at school, and they had to play video games for longer hours.
I get it. That had to create an Everest height of stress that parents and kids couldn't overcome any other way. Yep.
So, what do we do?
We drug them.
Sounds like a reasonable solution given the myriad of potential side effects, doesn't it?
Though current stats are not easy to find, what would you guess the adolescent usage is now, three years later? With all that oppressive stress gone post Covid, what direction do you think the scripts for the youth of our country have gone? My BettorEdge account places dollars on the over.
Richie from Jack: The "eye test" for me (I assume you are not referring to the annual eye test I take for my Type 2 Diabetes) shows that both you and Rod are making extensive use of empirical evidence. I have not been doing so. I think the dialogue between you and he on this issue is more productive than have been my observations on the same.
ReplyDeleteIf I may venture to say it, thesis and antithesis have met in the discussion between you and Rod. The synthesis of it is not yet clear but it is creditable and well taken contest. Dr. Waddy will probably be a good judge of it.
Thank you for the vote of confidence in the discourse between Rodrick and I, Jack.
DeleteBut I would urge you to do research far beyond what mere mortals can write on this blog post. I can't think of many things outside of those spiritual, that carry such weight.
My best to you good sir!
Richie from Jack: You are welcome and I assure you, I am following your advice in gathering empirical evidence with which I hope to move my Congressman to Urge DOGE to defund the National Endowment for the Arts. You are right; solid, objective evidence far surpasses independent perception. You and Rod have me much thus undone on the national health issue but I will follow your bidding on the latter issue. Thanx.
ReplyDeleteJack, there are hopeful signs in Europe, yes, but nowhere does a conservative populist party there have the kind of broad support that DJT enjoys in the U.S. Of course, in Europe's multiparty environment, even a party that pulls a quarter or a third of the total votes can aspire to form a government... You never know. Wilders in Holland proves that it isn't a lost cause.
ReplyDeleteRod, it's one thing to blame RFK for his allegedly bad ideas. It's another to blame him (in advance) for the failure of his good ones. Gee, it's almost like some personal animus is infecting your worldview, but we both know that's not possible. You're a pillar of reason!
Rod and Richie, I really appreciate the time and effort you expended debating RFK's merits and demerits. Rod, I can see why you don't like RFK, because he's a "disruptor", rather like his boss. And, like Trump, RFK sometimes says outrageous things and gets things wrong. Of course, his critics get their criticisms wrong in many cases too, but Richie makes a very strong case that the system itself needs a good shakeup. Our health care system is myopic at best, and oblivious to the root causes of illness, at worst. Rod, you are entitled to think whatever you like about RFK, but to question his motives AND his brain function is silly. Did you rip him a new one back when he was parroting the green agenda of the Democratic Party? Probably not. I guess he was sane back then, but no more. Give the guy a chance. Maybe he'll exceed your incredibly low expectations.
So, Rod, our heroic consumption of pharmaceuticals can only be good for mental health -- never bad? That's awfully presumptuous. I'm assuming that the mental impact of many medicines has never even been studied. Maybe do a bit of "science" before you absolve the pharmaceutical industry of all responsibility for everything bad.
Jack, I sympathize with your bemusement at this complex discussion of medical science. I feel like I am thoroughly ignorant on the topic. It may also be a subject where a little knowledge is a dangerous thing -- more dangerous than none at all. I don't pretend to know whether each and every vaccine, for instance, is safe, or for whom, or under what circumstances. I rely on my doctor, most of the time, to figure this out for me. I also know, however, that Rod and his ilk, when they start censoring and ridiculing their critics, actually DIMINISH my confidence in Western medicine and "science". The truth, it seems to me, ought to be able to stand up to a little scrutiny, no?